My last day in Georgia began with a leisurely breakfast at my friend’s house. I had the morning to be a tourist as we planned to participate in a wine walk for charity with her friends that afternoon. There were many things I still wanted to see, but decided the thing that made the most sense was to head over to the Carter Center to see what I could visit there. The actual center was not open, but I was able to visit the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library & Museum. It covered his journey to the White House and four years as president well. The visit to DC in the 1970’s reminded me that I had to return to the city in another day; for a moment, I forgot I was in Atlanta. Carter was only 56 when he left the White House, and he has been well known for the work he and the Carter Center have done since then. The museum devotes a lot of time to that work as well, including a map of diplomatic efforts that is extensive and highlights the role a private citizen not in the White House can play.
The sun was shining on a pleasant day when I rejoined my friend for a wine walk. For a fee that supported a charity, we wandered around with a group of her friends and sampled wine in a number of places. We got lost a few times, but had a fun afternoon. Later, we hung out over dinner at another restaurant and chatted. They were nice people, and one would connect with me in Virginia a few weeks later to celebrate St. Patricks Day. It was a good ending to my time in Atlanta.
By the next morning, I was up early to return home. I had missed the north eastern corner of the state and still not taken in a plantation, but I had seen many different things and had been surprised by the diversity of experiences I had there, from Savannah through the countryside to Atlanta. I was glad I devoted the time to exploring it all.